Air Pollution Causes Social Instability in Ant Colonies, Triggering Attacks on Returning Nest Mates

Ants attack their nest-mates because pollution changes their smell

Ants rely on scent to recognise their comrades, and when they are exposed to common air pollutants, other members of their colony react as if they are enemies

Air pollution causes social instability in ant colonies, triggering attacks on returning nest mates

A research team from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology has shown in a new study that ants returning from habitats affected by air pollution are attacked when they re-enter the colony. The cause: air pollution, especially ozone, changes the colony-specific odor profile of the animals.

Air pollution sparks civil war inside ant colonies

Air pollution may be turning ants against their own families, according to new research which suggests that such pollution could break down insect societies. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology have discovered that ozone can interfere with the chemical signals ants use to recognise each other. When those signals are damaged, ants may mistake their own nest mates for intruders and attack them. Lead author Nan-Ji Jiang sa…